In addition to the wide-ranging changes announced on March 13, the University of Saskatchewan is now taking new preventative measures that will be in effect immediately. These steps are not considered lightly and are made after consultation with health experts, colleagues from across campus, and our partners at the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the Government of Saskatchewan.
USask will oversee the closure of the university’s recreation facilities:
All USask Rec programming will be suspended until further notice as of Monday, March 16 at 6 am.
- Physical activity areas within the Physical Activity Complex (PAC), Education Building, Merlis Belsher Place, and Griffiths Stadium will be closed as of Monday, March 16 at 6 am until further notice.
- This includes the Fit Centre, gymnasiums, gymnastics room, pools, squash courts, training facilities, dance studio, equipment desk, change room facilities, track, and any other areas of recreation.
- All Campus Rec intramurals and clubs are suspended as of Monday, March 16 at 6 am until further notice.
- We understand that these cancelations, in some cases, may have a monetary impact and we will work to find solutions if refunds for community programs are required.
Working remotely:
The University of Saskatchewan supports work from home/telecommute arrangements in situations where work can be performed from home (or at an alternate location). However, ICT’s current priority and focus are to support the transition for teaching remotely, and therefore, ICT services may be limited due to the demand during this transition. We will provide more information as it is available. Guidelines for decision-making around working from home are available here and at www.usask.ca/updates.
USask recommends further self-isolation measures for international travel:
Effective immediately, and in line with provincial and federal travel guidelines, employees and students returning from any international travel (including the U.S.A.) should not come to campus for 14 calendar days after their return from their travel. They should continue to monitor and follow the guidelines and recommendations of both the province and the federal government, as these guidelines are updated frequently in response to the changing situation. Arrangements for employees to work from home during self-isolation may be an option. Guidelines for decision-making around working from home are available here and at www.usask.ca/updates.
We all can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 if we each do our part and work together.
We will continue to evaluate our operations and take measures to keep our campus community safe with as little disruption to our students. Any steps are important to this end and are based on the best advice and information available. Should additional preventative measures be required, we will provide that information in a timely manner.
For the latest developments and information about the University of Saskatchewan's response to COVID-19, please go to www.usask.ca/updates
If you have any questions, please email covid19@usask.ca.
Peter Stoicheff
President and Vice-chancellor
University of Saskatchewan